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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22388734">Watching and Waiting</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow'>ChillyHollow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Bittersweet, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:27:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>651</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22388734</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Considering life over coffee</p><p>WARNING:  There is no happy ending here.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Charlotte Campbell Ross/Cormoran Strike</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Watching and Waiting</h2></a>
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    <p>The coffee shop was crowded, busy with the morning commuters, but she didn’t mind that.People instinctively gave her space.Her pregnancy was good for that at least.She sipped her Cafe au lait, savoring the hit of caffeine and the scent of cinnamon.She looked out the big window, watching the traffic.People were rushing by, dodging each other and the construction barriers, heading to work.She had never held a job herself.She’d never needed one, although she had had frequent offers to model.</p><p>She wondered if things would have been different if she’d not come from a wealthy family or if she hadn’t married a title.Probably not.Her incomparable beauty assured her life was set out for her from the moment she was born.She had been able to use her astounding looks to get almost everything she wanted, but not the one particular thing that she wanted more than anything else, not permanently.She shifted in her seat restlessly, crossing and recrossing her legs.She’d picked out tailored tan wool slacks, an emerald cashmere cable knit sweater, crocodile boots, and a Hermes scarlet and gold scarf for today’s outfit and was wearing her favorite emerald earrings, a gold watch, and of course her wedding and engagement rings.Her hair and makeup were perfect as always. </p><p>She took her phone out of the quilted Chanel purse hanging on the chair and sent her husband a one-word text, “Sorry.”She turned the phone off and put it back into her purse.She was waiting.She needed traffic to clear out a bit and her quarry to appear.The barista brought her another Cafe au lait.She smiled her charming smile in thanks, then took a five pound note from her purse and tucked it under the cup for the barista to find later. </p><p>She kept an eye on the sidewalk and finally her quarry appeared.He was limping just a little as he walked, smoking and talking to the blonde walking beside him.She knew his every mood and could read from his expression that they were not lovers, not yet anyway.But they did appear to be easy with one another, companionable, talking about something serious as they walked.Partners.That’s what the newspapers said, and for once they appeared to have gotten it right.They looked like old friends.She knew he’d had other girlfriends after her, some of them as famous and beautiful as she.She’d kept an eye on him from afar.None of the relationships had lasted.He wanted something else from his ladies, something that was as elusive as he was.She’d never figured that out, no matter how long she’d studied him. The couple walked past on the other side of the road and disappeared through a dark green door into a small building further down the street.</p><p>She watched the traffic a while longer.It was beginning to ease up and move faster. It was nearly time.She thought back to him, how much he’d meant to her.He was the only man who’d ever dumped her, but she’d certainly given him cause.Her restlessness and desire for the riches and status she deserved had lost her the one thing she wanted in life above all else.She sighed.There was a letter in her purse addressed to Bluey.She took it out and studied the envelope.Then she made up her mind, and rose to leave.Gathering her purse, she headed to the street, tearing the envelope in half and then half again as she went.She dropped the pieces in a trash can she found on the sidewalk, placed there to catch discarded coffee cups. </p><p>Then she lingered on the sidewalk until she spotted a courier van roaring down the road, going too fast.She waited until the last minute and stepped confidently out in front of it….</p>
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